Madi Crews Enjoys Hub City Homecoming

Lower Columbia coach Chad Meadors (right) talks with point guard Madi Crews (left) in the fourth quarter of the Red Devils’ win at Centralia on Saturday.

Crews Enjoys Hub City Homecoming

By Aaron VanTuyl

avantuyl@chronline.com

Madi Crews’ stat line on Saturday was fairly unremarkable — 3 points, four rebounds and two assists in 25 minutes of play.

It’s certainly hasn’t been the norm this season for the sophomore out of Centralia.

Crews, a 2016 graduate of Centralia High School, has had a breakout year playing point guard for Lower Columbia College, and enjoyed a raucous applause when she was announced prior to tipoff on Saturday at Michael Smith Gymnasium.

“It’s always fun. I’ve had friends and family asking me since September when we’re playing at Centralia, so I just had to figure out what day it was,” She said. “My mom’s been posting on Facebook and all that stuff, so it was fun, just being back home and playing in front of the community.”

Crews and the Devils were enjoying themselves Saturday, racing out to a 20-3 lead in their eventual 74-47 West Region win.

“I think that we had the best start we’ve had all season,” Crews said. “We executed things really well. We’re really talented and we’ve had a slow start this season, and I’m really proud of how we played tonight.”

Crews is averaging 5.9 assists per game this season, second in the NWAC only to Lane’s Amber Lease (6.0). She’s also chipping in 8.2 points and 5 rebounds a contest.

“It’s going good. I have a lot more confidence this year as a sophomore, I get a lot more playing time, and I just go out every game with a different mindset,” she said. “My goal is just to get the ball to my teammates as much as a possible, and I know they can finish it.”

Lower Columbia coach Chad Meadors has been impressed with her work.

“She’s been very selfless, and I can’t wait for the game where she goes and puts up 25 (points) and still gets us 8 or 10 assists,” Meadors said. “I think she’s trying to distribute and get everybody involved, and sometimes I need her to call her own number a little bit. And she’ll get there, she’s just a really selfless player.”

The biggest improvement, he added, is Crews’ defense.

“She’s really getting tougher,” he said. “She’s getting up in to people, and that’s something she hasn’t done before, so she’s been good.”

The Red Devils are on a three-game winning streak, with 13 games to go in the regular season — and then, if things go as planned, a trip to the NWAC Tournament. Crews, though, is hoping it won’t be the final chapter in her hardwood career.

“I’m trying to play next year. I’m starting to get some schools calling me, but I don’t know where I’m going to play yet,” she said. “But it’s all going to come down to the end of the season, probably.”